Arsenal will cross swords with Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday evening, before heading to Paris next week to try and book a spot in the grand finale.
It has already been a sensational European campaign for the Gunners, as they knocked out Real Madrid in the quarter-finals—which included a famous 3-0 victory at the Emirates in the first leg.
On the other hand, PSG eliminated two of Arsenal’s Premier League rivals in Liverpool and Aston Villa in previous rounds. They are on a superb 18-game scoring streak away from home in all competitions and will pose a big threat for the North London side.
Without further ado, let us take a look at the key battles of this juicy European fixture.
#Bukayo Saka vs Nuno Mendes
One of the most intriguing battles on Tuesday will be between Bukayo Saka and Nuno Mendes.
Saka is starting to regain his mojo after returning this month following hamstring surgery in December. He was instrumental in the Gunners’ win over Real Madrid and will again be key against the Les Parisians.
When the two sides met in October during the league phase, the England international was one of the home side’s best players and also scored a superb free-kick. Saka caused Mendes a lot of problems on that night, so the PSG left-back must have learnt his lessons from his first battle.
One of the best left-backs in Europe, Mendes kept Mohamed Salah quiet in the second leg of the last 16 at Anfield. The Portuguese scored against Villa in the second leg of the quarter-finals earlier this month albeit a defeat, which shows his prowess going forward. That said, whoever wins this battle could have a massive impact on the outcome of the game.
#Khvicha Kvaratskhelia vs Myles Lewis-Skelly
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia played on the left flank in PSG’s shock 3-1 defeat to Nice last weekend, but we have seen him operate off the right as well this season, especially in the Champions League to accommodate Bradley Barcola.
Dubbed the Georgian Messi, the electric winger can use his dribbling skills, burst of pace, movement and flair to cause endless problems for the Arsenal defence. He can pin his marker back persistently with his aggressive style of play, which tells one of the uphill task the young Myles Lewis-Skelly faces on Tuesday night.
Lewis-Skelly has been impressive in his breakthrough season at the Emirates Stadium, showcasing great pace, physicality, energy and spirit. At 18, he has been exceptional and will be trying to push Kvaratskhelia back into PSG’s half as much as possible. However, if the Arsenal academy starlet is not switched on and careless with his positioning, the PSG ace could very much exploit the spaces left behind him via quick counter-attacks.
#Declan Rice vs Vitinha
Declan Rice put in a Man of the Match display against Real Madrid in the first leg of the quarter-finals, scoring two outstanding free-kicks. He was fantastic in the return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu as well, leading the troops from midfield very well.
Without the suspended Thomas Partey, Rice’s responsibility to control the play in the centre of the park has increased. The English star has to bring his skill-set on the floor to try and stop PSG from dominating the play.
Vitinha, PSG’s anchor in midfield, has enjoyed an outstanding European season and deserves plaudits. With his crisp passing, anticipation, work rate, movement and ball control, the Portuguese can set the tempo of play and provide headache for the home side. This matchup is interesting, and if Rice can somehow nullify Vitinha from doing his job, Arsenal’s chances of a getting a good result against PSG will grow more.
